Our design has changed somewhat from our original, however these changes have been justified through our cognitive walkthrough, our questionnaire and market reseach.
The first design, although looking rather slick with its 'ipodness' theme of being white, slim and rather attractive did not fulfill the objectives set out. As described in the walkthrough, the device was hard to hold, with no strap and the buttons not large enough. The product also lacked a feeling of robustness with the screen being so large and no grips/protective sides. Although the center button was easily identifiable, the other weren't so and so some labelling would have been helpful but the layout was well established and followed other devices used frequently by people(e.g remote) which was identified in the questionnaire.
The second design solved the problem of the buttons however the grip was way too large and uncomfortable to hold. The idea of grooves on both sides may allow both left and right hand users to use the product, however it ruined the look of the product and appeared to be overkill. The scanner is also hard to identify so where the put the barcode is confusing. The screen stayed the same size as it was seen adequate in the walkthrough and was inline with other PDA screens found in the market research.
The final design offers the user a device that can be held comfortably and used with ease. The buttons are self explanitory with the use of labels, and the scanner clearly indentifiable. The modified grip now looks in keeping with the design and the overall outfit is aesthetically pleasing to the eye. An added modification that can not be seen is the use of a strap that can be added to ensure that the PDA stays firmly in the palm of the user. Overall the developments that have taken place on the design have made the end product a user friendly device that is purposely sculptured around its target audience.
